Board of directors
Jimi Cook
Co-Founder, Board Chairman
Columbia, MO
Co-Founder, Board Chairman
Columbia, MO
Jimi and Cristi Cook founded Be The Change Volunteers in 2007 during a supposed “one-time” school-building project in Rwanda (BTCV 001). The organization has grown beyond its wildest dreams, and more importantly, has held true to its mission of empowering communities through sustainable education-focused development aid. Jimi’s BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) for BTCV is to complete at least 100 projects during his lifetime. In his “day job”, Jimi serves as the Allen Distinguished Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery and Director of the Thompson Laboratory for Regenerative Orthopaedics and Mizzou BioJoint Center at the University of Missouri.
Cristi Cook
Co-Founder and Secretary/Treasurer
Columbia, MO
Co-Founder and Secretary/Treasurer
Columbia, MO
Cristi is the Co-founder of Be the Change Volunteers. She and her husband Jimi have served and led teams on education-focused development aid projects all over the world. Cristi volunteers countless hours each year recording and depositing donations for BTCV among many other tasks that keep the organization's lights on every day. In her “day job,” Cristi serves as an assistant professor for the Thompson Laboratory for Regenerative Orthopaedics and Mizzou BioJoint Center at the University of Missouri and a "freelance" veterinary radiologist.
Peter Stiepleman
Board Member
Pacific Northwest
Board Member
Pacific Northwest
Peter has been an educator in Oakland, CA, and Columbia, MO for more than 25 years. He most recently retired from serving as Superintendent of the Columbia Public Schools, an urban, suburban, and rural district with 19,000 children and 3,000 employees. He learned about Be the Change Volunteers when Jimi Cook made a Rotary presentation in 2016. From that very moment, Peter was determined to find a way to make BTCV a more permanent part of his life. In 2021, that plan came to fruition and Peter served on the El Chino, Peru project. He returned to El Chino the following year and plans to return in the coming year, too. Peter and his wife, Elizabeth Chang, have relocated their family to the Pacific Northwest. Peter enjoys cooking, traveling, writing, advising, and podcasting (https://human-centeredleaders.com/podcasts).
Brian Van Vechten
Board Member
Castle Pines, Co
Board Member
Castle Pines, Co
Brian has managed and owned veterinary practices in both the San Diego and the Denver areas. He currently serves as surgeon and medical director of surgery at the Veterinary Referral Center of Colorado in Englewood. Since 2009 he has been on the board of directors or the advisory committee of Be The Change Volunteers. He and his family have served on projects in South America, Peru, and Rwanda. Brian has been married to his wife Liz for 24 years. Together, they had 3 children; Alex (Alexandria), Jake (deceased), and Nick. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family, improving youth education opportunities, golf, skiing, hiking, and travel.
Ted Kettlewell
Board Member
Columbia, Mo
Board Member
Columbia, Mo
Ted is the co-founder of OCCI Inc a national engineering construction contractor specializing in railroad, highway bridges, and Corp of Engineers lock and dam rehabs. The company motto is “The difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer.” Which we all feel is a good fit for the BTCV mission and team efforts. Ted has served on multiple trips to Uganda and is highly involved in the BTCV partnership there. Ted shares his vast construction expertise by consulting on construction projects and budgets delivered to BTCV by partners. He is a Missouri native and has been married to his college sweetheart Susanna for 41 years. They have two daughters Jenny and Mary. Ted is honored to serve the BTCV mission and change the world one kid at a time.
John Heidrich
Board Member
Albuquerque, Nm
Board Member
Albuquerque, Nm
I have recently retired from a busy veterinary practice but continue teaching in the veterinary technician program at the junior college and consulting with new veterinary startup companies. I have a passion for improving literacy for our pre-k children in New Mexico (LibrosforKids.org) and abroad. While teaching veterinarians in Cambodia, Jimi recommended I meet the kids at the Floating School. This school was the second school built by BTCV. I was a hooked Changer after visiting the school. Back on the Board for a second term, I can say the evidence of the success of this outstanding non-profit, our dedicated Changers, families, and communities, both here and abroad, is weathering the test of time. Build, educate, and change lives.
Erin Burri
Board Member
Columbia, Mo
Board Member
Columbia, Mo
My name is Erin Burri and I am a Realtor in Columbia, MO. I stay busy as a mom to my 6-year-old son, Jackson, and our two golden retrievers! Jackson and I love being outside, especially on the water. My passion for BTCV was ignited by my first build back in 2006 in Nepal. I have enjoyed several BTCV trips over the years including Papua New Guinea and Puerto Rico but more importantly, my life has been changed by the relationships and people I have met along the way. Serving on the board of this amazing organization is a privilege and an honor!
Executive Team
Grant Venable
Director of Change
Phoenix, AZ
Director of Change
Phoenix, AZ
Grant is the Director of Change at Be The Change Volunteers. He leads teams and provides project support globally to partners in Asia, Africa, South America, North America, and the Pacific Islands. He works with NGOs, mission organizations, and community activists to identify, evaluate, and complete education-focused projects. This includes identifying the underlying problems specifically related to infrastructure, equipping, training, and cultural differences at schools in underdeveloped countries. He manages the relationships between the local community leadership and the BCTV US-based leadership team. Together they determine how to appropriately address these challenges and collaborate for a successful deployment of resources. He is experienced in the business sector, construction, international project management, and emergency medical rescue. Grant lives in Arizona with his wife Rachel and their two daughters. The family loves warm weather, serving at church, and the outdoors!
Debbie Waggoner
Executive Coordinator of Change
Columbia, MO
Executive Coordinator of Change
Columbia, MO
Debbie retired from State Farm Insurance in September 2016 after working there for over 40 years. She now serves as Executive Coordinator of Change and Chief Compassion Officer for BTCV. Working daily with the co-founders and director, Debbie ensures that every volunteer is taken care of. She follows her passion for going on builds to help change lives and build relationships with Changers and the people of the communities where BTCV has projects. Debbie has been on builds in India, Malawi, Peru, Papua New Guinea, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Puerto Rico.
Thato Mabena
Director of Field Operations, Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa
Director of Field Operations, Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa
Thato is the Director of Field Operations for BTCV Africa. He lives in Johannesburg, South Africa where he provides direct support to volunteers serving on projects in Africa. Thato works directly with Community and School Partners to plan and implement the successful phases of education infrastructure projects. Thato also manages the BTCV Kids scholarship program communicating daily with schools, students, and sponsors. Thato has served on and evaluated projects in Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi, Tanzania, Peru, South Sudan, and Puerto Rico. He is a graduate of Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria with a degree in photography. In his free time, he enjoys photography, reading, jogging, traveling, and serving others.
Advisory Council
Ted Kettlewell - Engineering
Current Board Member Vice President OCCI, Inc Columbia, MO Dusty Hoffman - Security Captain Governor Security Division Missouri State Highway Patrol Columbia, MO Peter Stiepleman - Education Administration Current Board Member Retired Superintendent, Advisor, Author, and Podcaster Pacific Northwest Tracy Line Itty, MPH - Public Health Public Health Consulting Consultant/Advisor Scottsdale, Az Herb Bischoff - Psychology School Psychologist Retired Palmer, Ak Paul Dorr, DVM, PhD, MACE Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Principal Scientist, Clinical Columbia, MO Norm Chong - Business Global Business Development Manager Agilent Technologies Austin, TX Scott Daugherty - Construction Owner Fairway Meadows Corporation Columbia, MO Antonio Pozzi - International/Europe Professor of Veterinary Surgery University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland Stefano Pozzi - International/Europe Business Advisor Retired Genoa, Italy Diane Lewis - Business Veterinary Dermatologist Capital Veterinary Specialists Tallahassee, FL Stacie Williams - Business OTR/L,CCRP E. Carolina Vet Referral Wilmington, NC Ned Williams - Business Veterinary Surgery E. Carolina Vet Referral Wilmington, NC Bailey Womble - Education/SPED Special Education Teacher School of the Osage - Heritage Elementary Lake Ozark, MO |
Marc Scott - Endowment Strategy
Past Board Member Chief Investment Officer Country Club Trust Company Kansas City, Mo Brian Van Vechten - Business Current Board Member VRCC - Retired Englewood, Co Maddy Licocci, M.Ed BCBA - Education/SPED Exceptional Education Teacher Metro Nashville Public Schools Nashville, TN Julie Estes - Education Past Board Member Central Christian School Retired St. Louis, Mo Pam Plouhar - Business Past Board Member Johnson & Johnson-Execcutive Suite South Bend, In Erin Burri - Business Current Board Member Remax Columbia, Mo Brad Martens - Business Manager Outpatient Service Missouri Orthopedic Institute Columbia, MO Shari Hamilton - Business Past Board Member Veterinarian IDEXX Columbia, MO Glenn Willett - Business Past Board Member Retired IBM Columbus, OH Doug Willett - Business Past Board Member Executive Vice President Commercial Development Company, Inc Chicago, IL John Heidrich - Business Current Board Member Ventena Animal Clinic - Retired Albuquerque, NM Linda Karl - Site Saftey Past Board Member Compliance Manager Missouri Employers Mutual Columbia, MO Elizabeth Kieru - Education Early Childhood Education African Culture Kenya/Columbia, Mo |
Chapter Presidents & team Leaders
Kristan DePreist - Chapter President
Columbia Mo Chapter "Uncle Al" Rohlfing - Team Leader Liberty, Mo |
Eric Glenn - Chapter President
Kansas City, Mo Chapter Raul Gonzalez - Team Leader Kansas City, Mo |
About the BTCV Leadership Structure
BTCV is a volunteer-driven organization with only two paid employees on the executive team the Director of Change and the Director of Field Operations for Africa. Our Executive Coordinator is a completely volunteer position on the executive team. The core of our leadership team is all volunteer and includes an Advisory Council and a seven-member voting Board of Directors. Together this team works to complete our mission by wisely and diligently stewarding donor gifts.
Advisory Council
The Advisory Council (AC) members each have an area of expertise that is given to BTCV completely on a volunteer basis. Members are engaged through quarterly board meeting reports and direct access to the executive team. AC members may from time to time receive special requests to attend and advise on a section at a quarterly board meeting. AC members may also be selected for committees such as finance or medical. AC members are invited to attend the year-end annual leadership meeting in person. The AC is an incubator for nomination to the voting Board of Directors. This council also serves as a seat for past board member retention and continued service within BTCV. The AC has no term limits or voting authority. Members are selected on an invitation basis.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors (BOD) has seven voting seats with two permanent seats for the Co-Founders and five seats that rotate. The rotation is staggered so that all five do not change out at the same time. BOD members must have served two years on the Advisory Council before eligibility for nomination by fellow AC and BOD members. New members are elected by voting board members. Terms are two years with a second consecutive option. After completing terms board members are invited back to the advisory council to remain engaged in BTCV leadership. They may again be nominated after two years off the BOD. BOD members communicate regularly with the Director of Change and meet quarterly. Together they vote on policy, procedure, and the use of BTCV funds including, operations, projects, and grants.